Nocturne
by Random Guise
Summary: From the original Battlestar Galactica (1978), this short occurs after "The Man with Nine Lives". Starbuck manages to NOT crash while out on patrol, but comes back strangely affected. Based on a challenge from a friend. I don't own these characters or a model kit of a Viper.


**A/N: Takes place a short time after the original series of "Battlestar Galactica" (1978).**

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Nocturne

"Ughhh."

The lights on the monitoring panel changed the pattern they had been showing for three days and indicated that a change was occurring. A small audio alert also sounded, caught quickly by the nearby ears of the medtech Cassiopeia. She almost ran to the panel to check it, not having heard the faint sound coming from the patient. Even if the alert hadn't sounded, she would have noticed in a few centons as she had been habitually checking the panel and patient several times a centar. She scanned the panel and hurried over to the patient while calling out "Doctor Salik!"

She looked down at the patient. Lieutenant Starbuck was a Viper pilot and warrior of the Colonel Service, stationed aboard the Battlestar Galactica. THE best fighter pilot, according to his own opinion; it wasn't simply bragging when his opinion was backed up by those of most of the command staff. Blond, handsome and a man who enjoyed his pleasures as much as his duty, he was also the person that had rescued her from a life as a sociolator aboard the Gemonese freighter. If there was someone that she felt she could be sealed to it was...

"Huh?" Starbuck opened his eyes, but when she smiled she got no reaction as he stared straight up. Dr. Salik checked the panel and joined Cassiopeia by the medical bed.

"Why doesn't he respond?" she asked.

"I still don't know what put him into that sleep," Salik answered "much less what will wake him up. Give him a chance, maybe he needs to fight his way out of it." The doctor pretended to look away for a moment while she brushed some hair away from his eyes, accidentally on purpose brushing his cheek with her fingertips.

"Come on Starbuck, you've been on furlon long enough." She lowered her voice to a whisper "Wake up for me."

The expression on the patient changed to a smile. A faint "Chooka chooka hoo la ley" escaped his lips, his voice modulating slightly.

Cassiopeia frowned as she straightened abruptly. "What!?"

Dr. Salik turned in time to see the patient respond. Focus came into Starbuck's eyes as he turned his head slightly to look at the woman hovering over him. "What's the matter?" he asked with concern on his face.

"You've been asleep for three cycles and wake up singing nonsense and I'm not supposed to be confused?" she asked, hand now on hip as the relief of his response was mixed with her medical curiosity.

"Three cycles?" Starbuck startled, trying to rise up in the bed before falling back weakly. He looked over at Dr. Salik for confirmation. "Doc?"

"After not responding to calls we found your Viper in space not far from the planet you were sent to investigate. You were asleep in the cockpit, and have been ever since; that was three cycles ago" the doctor explained. "All your signs seem to be normal, but you've been...asleep, unable to awaken. What was the last thing you remember?"

"I think it's best if I make my report all at once. Do I have to stay here?"

Salik knew that Cassiopeia would cause trouble if he released him too early. "It's probably better that we keep you here, at least for a short time to observe how you recover. What if I ask Colonel Tigh to come down to take your report? Will that keep you for now?"

Starbuck tried to rise again, held the position for a few moments and then lowered himself back flat. "Great idea."

...

"So you don't remember anything else." Colonel Tigh looked down at the pilot, glad he was back but greatly disappointed that he was getting so little information. "You flew to the planet and then...fell asleep until you woke up here."

"I swear Colonel, that's all. Shortly after my last com check I...must have fallen asleep. I wasn't anywhere near the atmosphere of the planet, I didn't see any moons or ships, and no signs of any civilization. Then...lights out."

"And he shows no signs of any other problems, Dr. Salik?"

"None that I can tell. Scans are negative, tissue and blood tests negative, and apart from being a little weak from lying in bed for several days he seems perfectly fine. Regardless, I'm glad Commander Adama decided to avoid the system altogether and not take any chances."

"Avoid the system? We can't!" Starbuck burst out.

Colonel Tigh leveled a look at the pilot and in all seriousness asked "And why not, Lieutenant?"

"It's...well...kinda hard to explain, Colonel."

"Try me."

"You see, while I was asleep I had this...idea. Maybe it was a dream. But you see, the planet had this area of thick vegetation and there were these animals singing..."

Cassiopeia gasped and put her hand to her mouth for a moment. "Chooka chooka hoo la ley" she said, astonished. "I had the _same_ dream."

Tigh sighed as he was often want to do. "I think we better include Commander Adama on this one."

...

"I know you say it was only a dream Starbuck, but it might be important. Tell me the rest of it" the Commander requested.

"Okay. The more I think about it the more silly it seems. But after I fell asleep I had this dream so real it was like you standing in front of me now. The animals living among all these plants were intelligent, and they were singing. Oh, and it was night. Did I mention that?"

"No, you didn't. So it was dark."

"It was. But somehow I could see everything even though there was no moonlight. And they were singing this song in some language I didn't understand, but it was...I don't know...just about the most beautiful song I've ever heard, there's no other way of putting it. Then this big cat..."

"A big cat? Like the pets we used to have back home?" Tigh asked. He had grown up with pets, and missed the animals left behind now that they were on their pilgrimage.

"_Bigger_. A lot bigger and it had a lot of hair on its front and neck. It started talking to me in our language; it told me they were singing about their planet. I tell you Commander, if we could get a recording of that song we'd all be rich."

"I dreamed it too, Commander" Cassiopeia added. "Not the whole thing, but I got part of it. The cat creature invited us to join them if we wanted."

Adama took a few steps in thought and turned to address them. "There are times when I am positive that others can communicate to us in dreams; I myself have had occasions where I believe the Gods have spoken to me while I slept. So I am willing to accept your story..." Adama continued, then nodded at Cassiopeia "… I mean _stories_...as being the truth."

"Great! When Apollo gets back from patrol let's go check out that planet. Maybe if we bring a few of the animals back..." Starbuck gushed.

"No Starbuck. There will be no going back" Adama decided.

"But Commander..."

"Lieutenant," Tigh interjected "think about it for a moment. You would have to leave the fleet with a shuttle and Viper escort, you have to travel back at least a cycle's travel where for all we know Cylons could be following us, not to mention what would happen if everyone falls asleep again."

"I've got it figured out. We could program the computer..."

"No, I'm certain the risk is too great. Maybe it's harmless, maybe it's a trap; all we know for sure is that it isn't Earth. No, my decision stands. I've come too close too many times to losing you and Apollo."

"What if..."

"The answer is no, and that is my final decision. Colonel, why don't you arrange for Starbuck to have a few days furlon to recover and get over his...dream. Thank you for bringing it to my attention, and I am grateful that you have returned safely to us. Dismissed" Adama said as he patted the dejected pilot on the shoulder before turning to make his way back to the command bridge.

...

Aboard the Rising Star, Starbuck sat and mulled his luck, an empty drink in front of him. An older gentleman by the name of Chameleon was sitting with him at the table while a small band set up on stage.

"That was quite a story. But I'm not surprised" Chameleon said after listening to Starbuck's recounting of the mission, dream and decision by Adama. "It really is best for the fleet, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I suppose it is. But it doesn't mean I have to like it" the younger man said as he pulled on his fumerello.

"No, what it means is that you're becoming more responsible if you can understand why. If you were my son I'd tell you that you were growing up." Starbuck actually _was_ his son, but only Chameleon and Cassiopeia knew the truth. Someday Starbuck would know too, but that day hadn't arrived yet. In the meantime Starbuck just knew that they were related, probably in some distant manner.

"Thanks" he said with a frown. "I feel better already." The expression didn't change, however.

"I'm also not surprised with you picking up on the music. You and I both come from Umbra, and it's said those that live near the thorn forest are more 'in tune' with music, if you'll pardon the expression. I'd embarrass myself trying to sing a song, but I can dance like nobody's business. Well, used to anyway; I've slowed down a bit."

Someone dropped a percussion instrument that made a crash.

"I can't sing either. But that tune was so...so...perfect. I don't know; another credit or million credits lost - it doesn't matter" Starbuck lamented.

"Keep looking, you won't find it by sitting back and doing nothing. But just to be on the safe side, don't bet it all on another of those gambling systems of yours."

"But you can't blame a person for trying" he said with a slight smile, some of the old Starbuck coming back.

On stage the band was doing an instrument calibration for a performance later. One by one they checked the individual instruments and then the leader called out for a sound level check.

"Do you want to leave?" Chameleon asked.

"Yeah, Apollo should be back about now. I'll go cry on his shoulder for a bit." They both stood up.

"Okay. It was good talking to you, Starbuck. You know you can come talk to me any time." They shook hands as the band began to test their microphones.

_Chooka chooka hoo la ley _  
_Looka looka koo la ley._

Starbuck dropped his fumerillo.

The End

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**A/N: This was done as a challenge many years ago for a friend who said to come up with a story based on the Electric Light Orchestra song "Jungle". I never wrote the story down and just recounted it verbally, but this is an excellent place to record it with more detail. I honestly don't remember if they ever use the word jungle in the series, so I avoided it.**

**Yes, I have the DVD collection of the original series and (whispering) Galactica: 1980 as well.**


End file.
